Saluting retired officers (at the gates)...some do it and some don't. Is there something in writing?

You do it out of respect. If they hand you their retired ID, you stand at attention, salute, and if they don't return the salute then drop yours and proceed with the post motto and don't take offense to it.

I spent time assigned as an MP at Fort Monroe when it was TRADOC HQs. We had 600 O-5s and O-6s. At the gates we saluted every blue sticker whether it was the officer, their spouse or their brats. I am saluted as a retired officer by the gate personnel at Fort Carson and BY the by the good SPs at Buckley AFB and ignored by the slugs, as they don’t know about warrant officers. When I was a CID Agent, I never showed my ID card and didn’t get saluted much the 12 years as a warrant officer.

It's not required but I do it out of respect.

It’s a nice courtesy and much appreciated by us old timers.

I do it out of respect for those that came before us. When my brother graduated from College in 1998, I attended in my Dress Blue Bravos, the guest was a retired U.S. Air Force Col. when he walked by me after the ceremony I saluted and he returned the salute. We talked for a bit and he was appreciative of the salute and greeting.

If the car approaching the gat has a blue decal on the windshield, SALUTE If it's the officers kid driving and no one else is in the car? Oh well, better safe then sorry I always say. If it's an enlisted man in a car with the blue decal, I SALUTE. I Don't see the problem in making a salute to someone who isn't an officer as l9ng as I learn to recognize who's driving the car. Stop the car. If it's not an officer it's your responsibility to know why. Maybe the person just bought the car. Tell them you have to scape the sticker and give and have them sign in. This is on the premise they still have base decals. If theree isn't a decal you have to stop the vehicle regardless. See an office salute. 8f the officer is out of uniform and you don't recognize the office, apologoze while presenting a salute. Am I missing something to the question? If not, you have my answer. If so, please let me know.

I initially responded down but with a number of comments about base stickers, I thought Id include it here.

The Navy base blue sticker (actually all color stickers) have gone the way of the dinosaurs (w/o an asteroid strike) as the regulation behind it was meant to verify insurance coverage and coincidentally was color coded-officer, enlisted, civil servants, contract employees, etc.

Some bases still issue rank stickers--usually O-5 and above and possibly E-7 and up.

The change came out a few years ago but not much fanfare until a person went in and found out...especially retires. I regret the decision because I enjoyed being able to recognize other Navy personnel out in the community,

If in an auto and it was noticed/safe I returned the salute after I got "commissioned ".

Been a long time since I "entered a gate". When I did as an officer the guard saluted when the officer's "sticker" was on the bumper. If a Col or higher had a "license plate" denoting rank on their staff car, we saluted. Not necessarily the driver, but the symbol of the office. Usually a "commander" of a unit. Perhaps the base commander.

I'm not a retired officer I'm a Ret E6 but I'm also a retired Federal Worker & I have a Ret CAC Card & I prefer to use that I like being Mr Sam & not PO Sam that guy left the Buliding Jan 31 2000.